Garment press



J. H. TAYLOR GARMENT PRESS Oct. 27, 1931.`

Filed May 12 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet l /N VEN TOR N.

Oct. 27, 1931. H, TAYLOR 1,828,951

GARMENT PRES S Filed May 12, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet f 2 J. H. TAYLOR GARMENT PRESS Oct. 27, 1931.

Filed May l2, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTG/wf ys J. H. -TAYLOR GARMENT PRESS Filed May l2,

Oct. 27, 1931.

1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 27, 1931.

J. H. TAYLOR GARMENT PRES S FiledKMay 12l 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /N VPN TOR www l 'fi/1 Nibra/v5 ys is the provision fof automatic power; operati-1 ed .means y for breaking '-.the emergency `toggle A f gagementandi-the second showing :the 'emer- Patented Oct.` 27, `1931 juN.1I-fri:o4 armies; oFFrca-i H. TAYLOR', 0F NEW`YORK,'*N."'Y.', ASSGNOR'TO THE`AMERYICAN LAUNDRY'MAV; CHINERY COMPANY," OF"CINCINNTI, OHIO? A CORPORATION` QF OHIO @mmm v Application f filed'. Maygf12, i y

` This inventiony .relatestoimprovements `in power operated .garmentpresses n Garment presses4 have. been. provided wherein power. means closes the press, kpro- 5,duces Aand maintainsan ironingpressure for the pressing operation,.,andA then yopens the press.-i Toprevent possible injury tothe operator ofthe press, `,such asT the crushing ,or

tion of the ironing; pressure. Vuntil the guard has moved to its lowermost guarding., pos1- tion-.1` In-other. instances,-vinterruption ofthe l5wdownward movement of the` guard .actuates a,

switch to stopV the imotorf and 'hence rthe closingof the press by powermeans. These three cycletpower presses arealso oftenprovided with manually operableemergency means for fpartially opening the pressfto :avoid ,further injury to the operator or .damageto thewvork; The object j'ofthetpresentA v'invention/1s to provide an'improved pressi-ngimachine of the type wherein power mea-ns` performs the 25..triple function-zA of closing VVAthe press, produc-1 in gfand maintaining ironingi'pressure .for the pressing.;V operation, and. .thenz vopening .the press. Improvedsafety means are provided for; effectivelypreventing,.injury lto the.op, 3Qrerator, Said means including a:safety, finger.4

2, -rWhile-the-'lovver guard adapted to'travelwith butinadvance offgthe movable pressing f, member, when the e lather is moving-to .pressing position,l said` guard.`r being adapted; wher-1f. its -downward 3-fguarding,l movement .is -interrupted,to effectV thefbreakin'g ,of anemergency toggle Tand," thereby not only arrest the closing movement ofthepressbut to also effect/a partial'open-Y ingmovement thereof; v

A. further :feature Aof the; `present 'machlne and thereby-effecting opening movement of thetpressffwhen,thefobject orfmaterial on :thefif-Wb'ediexceeda ay predetermined thicknessf This fea-ture is particularly important in pressi-ng Work of amore orrless tuniformikthickness, -for if thearrangementor. lay of thework isvim-nproper, so athatthef Work exceeds fthe prede- 'rtemninedffmaximurngthickss, the movabley 1924.. swarm;- 712,585;`Z

pressing :members lWill be automatically and instantlyraised before thevworkis improperly pressed." Moreover, ifvfor anyreasonthe safety fingen guard -failsy to Work'4 properly and the hand ofthe operator isresting on the bed When the upper pressing member comes into f engagement therewith, the lemergency simplewandconveniently arranged meansfor manually breakingithefemergency' toggle t0 thereby arrest the closing movement of the presaandeffect opening movement thereof."

Further objects ofthe invention'are in part obvious- 'an'd in tail hereinafter.

In' the` :draWings,-.Fig. l is aside elevation-.- `ofva garment press embodying myl invention;y Fig; 2 isa fragmentaryvplanview'of the safety ingerfguardmechanism; Fig. 3 is afdetailA sectional view'of'the motor tim' mgmechanism; Figrt vis al detail view of the motonsWitch/fmechanism; Fig. 5 isa partwvvill appear more in def ,Wiring fdiagramillustrating *the control yof the motorglFig is fa sideelevation-ofthev pressfshowing more-in detail the safety finger I guard-mechanism,1the upper portions of said viewfbeingtaken'in the plane ofline a, Fig. 'portion `is in the 1 plane of-line^fb,iFig,l2'; Figg7 is a'ver'tical sec'- tional.. view rofthe lower Yportion of the machine,` illustrating; the position ofthe arts Wlienthe-pressM isfclosed; Fig.fz8 is a etail sectional=-view-taken inlthe' planeofV the `line c, Fig-w12; .Fig."9 isa detailsectional View of the-ilovver'portion of the machine, showing :the arrangement [off fthe parts when the headh'as engaged an obstruction on the bed,

tvvo positions being. shown, the -first showL ling fthe: paWl operating. mechanism in enf gency toggle broken; Fig. l0 isfa similar view showing the position `of the partsvvith the 1 head" raised, otherpositions of' the parts beingshown in dotted lines, onewith the headv engagingfthe Jbuckjand vthe other when ironlngv pressure 4isl firstr being; applied; Figl ll is afdetailrviewof the magnetic brake; Fig.

12 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 12-12, Fig. 7; Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view taken in the plane of the line d, Fig. 7; and Fig. 14 is a similar view taken 1in the plane of the line e. Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, the pressing machine therein illustrated comprises a main frame 1 upon the pedestal 2 of which is mounted the padded bed or lower pressing member 3. The frame is provided with a rearwardly and upwardly extending arm 4 in the upper end of which is pivotally mounted at 5 the pressure bar 6 which carries at its forward end the padded and heated head or upper pressing member 7 The operating mechanism for moving the head into and out pressing engagement with the bed is of the toggle type. Said mechanism includes an upper main toggle member 10, the upper end portion of which has sliding engagement in a swivel block 11 suitably mounted in the rear end portion of pressure bar 6. An abument cap 1,2 is secured upon the upper end of said toggle member While below the swivel block, said member is provided with an adjustable collar 13 which forms the lower abutment for a spring 14, the upper abutment for which is the swivel block 11.

` The lower end of said toggle member is connected at 15 to the upper end of the lower main toggle member 16, which in turn has its lower end connected at 17 to the upper end of an emergency toggle link 18. The

Ylower end of this emergency toggle link is loosely mounted on a pin 19 secured in the ears 2O of the machine base.

The main toggle formed by members 10 and 16 is straightened and broken to thereby respectively close and open the press by power means, in the present embodiment, by a motor mounted upon a bracket 26 suitably secured to the machine frame. Coupled to the driving shaft of this motor is a worm shaft 27 carrying a worm 28 which meshes with a worm wheel 29 fast upon the main operating shaft 30. The main toggle is connected to this operating shaft by mechanism which comprises a tubular member 31 connected to the toggle knuckle 15 and having slidably mounted therein a plunger 32, the outer end of which is connected to a crank arm 93 fast upon the main operating shaft.

As clearly shown in Fig. 7, a collar 34 is pinned on the inner end portion of the plunger, the securing pin 35 projecting from said collar engaging in an elongated slot 36 in the tubular member S1. Between said collar and the inner end of the tubular member is a spring 37, while between said colla' and a lock nut 38 at the outer end of the tubular member is a cylindrical cushioning sleeve 39, of rubber or other suitable material. It

will thus be seen that the plunger has but limited movement inthe tubular member and that yielding cushioning means are provided for both directions of its movement.

The switch mechanism for the motor comprises a casing 40 carried by the motor bracket 26. Suitably arranged within said casing are upper and lower pairs of contacts 41 and 42, respectively, with which respectively cooperate the upper and lower movable bric ging contacts 43 and 44 which are carried by a vertically disposed rod 45. The upper end of this contact carrying rod is connected to a rod 46, which in turn is connected to the lower arm of a bell-crank lever 47 loosely mounted on the frame stud 46. Connected to the upper arm of said lever is a horizontally disposed rod 49 slidably mounted in the depending bracket 50 of a work table 51 secured about the lower `end portion of the frame pedestal 2. front end of rod 49, which knob is grasped by the operator in actuating the motor switch. The contact carrying rod 45 is held by a spring 53 in either its lower or upper posi-- tion to thereby respectively effect engagement of upper contacts 41, 43 or lower contacts 42, 44. One end of this spring is secured to the upper arm of the bell-crank lever 47 while its other end is secured to a de- Y pending arm 54 fast upon the lever pivot stud 48. Horizontal movement of the knob carrying rod 49 throws the spring 53 on one or the other side of pivot stud 46 and thereby holds the switch rodv 45 in either its upper or lower position., depending upon the direction in which rod 49 is moved.

Suitable timing mechanism for the motor is also provided for controlling the cycles of operation, including the closing and open.

ing cycles of the press. The mechanism here shown comprises a casing within which is an insulating block 61 fast upon one end of the main operating shaft 30. Fast upon said insulating block is a metal distributing ring 62 engaged at all times by a current receiving contact shoe 63. Mounted upon the distributing ring is a second contact shoe 64 which is adapted to engage the substantiaily semi-circular contact segments 65 and 66 adjustably secured to the inner surface of casing 60, which segments may be respectively termed the opening and closing sogments.

The coupling for the motor driving shaft and the worm shaft 27 includes a brake drum with which cooperates a brake band 71 which is 1n braking engagement with the drum when the current from the motor is olf.

One end of said brakeband is connected to a2 bracket 72 on which 1s mounted a coil 7 3,

while the other end of said brake band vls connected to a stem 74. Said stem extends through said `bracket and has a spring 75 in- A knob 52 is mounted on the sof1 4lus;

terposed between the bracket and the stein f head, the effect of said spring being to normally hold the brake band in engagement thebrafkedrum. nnarmaturie 76.15 pivotally mounted tothe bracket 7 21 and carries atitslfreeend a screw'77 adapted, when the coil* is energized, to engage vthe head of the line '85 connected to one of the upperswitch l- 'stem T4/fand move the brake band from engagemeiit with the brake drum.

The operationf'of the parts thus far de-y scribed is as follows, reference being had to ,the wiring diagram'in Fig. 5, ink which the press is open.

and81 represent the main currentlead lines and 82 an ordinarysn'ap or other switch which forms-no' essential partof the pres- .entfini-'ention Leading from this switch, the positive line 80 is connected to the stationary contact' shoe 63, through which Vcurrent is supplied to the distributor ring 62, thence to:v

movable contact shoe 64 and to the closing contact-segni'ent. `Leading from this segmentfisal linel 83 connected to one of the lower motor switch contacts 42, which is now out of engagement with its cooperating.

contacts 41 which is now in engagement with its cooperating bridging contact 43: Connected tothe otherswitch contact 41 is a line v86 leading to` the7opening contactsegment 65'. When theparts are in theposition shownV in the wiring diagram, the press is open and the motor is running idle due to the fact that thiemovable contact shoe 64' is in engagement withclosing contact segment 66 which 1s connected to' one ofthe lower switch contacts 42 which is,fatthisparticular time, out of engagement with-its cooperating contact 44.

lV'henf the operator wishes to close `the p-ress,lhe pulls the knob carrying rod 49 outwardly, which brings into kengagement the lower switch contactsv42, 44, completes the` *circuit tothe closing contact segment 66 andstarts the motor.v The timing mechanismis so constructed and adjusted thatthe head engages the bed at the time the conta-ct r shoe 64'leaves` the closing segment 66and engages the opening segment 65. s This latter segment is connectedv to one of the up-r per switch contacts'41 which are now .out of engagement withtheir cooperating bridging contact 43. The press, therefore, comesto a "7 state of rest with the pressing members in engagement.V Thev reverse orV ,opening cycle isr obvious, it being only'necessary to push iny y the knob lcarrying rod 49 toV bring switch contacts 41, 43' into engagement andthus complete the circuit'to the"opening contact65.-

In order* to prevent injury to the machine operator, such as the crushingl and burning' of h'isrhands or armsfay safety finger guard ispiovided.V Said guard travels inad- Vance of the head when the latter is moving` theI headvfrom coming into engagement with thel bed *butr also partially raises the head.;V Injury to the o'p'eratorshandsand arms is, therefore, eectivelyprevented.

In the specific embodiment here illustrated, said guard so closely surrounds the head, to which it conforms in shape,that the operator: cannot get his fingers therebetween. The guard is mounted upon the frontend of a pair of' arms 96 which havesliding engagementin a pair of swivel blocksl 97 mounted' on the trunnions98 of the lever barpivot, the rear end of each of said arms being Aprovided with a counter-weighty 99: Preferably, the head' or upper pressingl member is pro vided with yieldingp'adsV 100 which are en-`r gaged bythe guard arms when the guardfis -in its lowermost position. Downward` move,- ment ofthe guard is limited bythe engagement-*with the frame arm 4of a. screw 101=ad" justably secured in `a 'bracket 102. This' bracket is secured to a spacer strip 103 'to which the guard is' secured, said "st-ripbeing carried by brackets 104 secured to the guard arms. c

The mechanism by'meaiis of vvhich'interruption of the guardi descent breaks thevv emergencytoggle Vis as follows:

Pivotally connected to a lug at'on'e'end of the spacerstripr is a link to the upper end of which is pivotally connected a'stem'lll. The free and 'headed end portion of this stem passes through an opening in rthe upper arm`V cfa bellcrank lever 112, a spring 1137being1 interposed between said lever and a fixed col= lar 114 on the stem. This belt-crank lever is pivoted at 115 in the upper end of a bracket` 11,6', the lower endl of which is clamped tothe hub of the pressure bar pivot memberf; TheY other or lower arm of the bell-crank lever 112 is provided with a. tooth or projection 117, adapted for cooperation with the teeth 118 of the upper arm or quadrant of-a leverj 119 pivoted intermediate itsl ends on the hub of the pressure'bfar pivot Vmember 6.'A The' lower end ot this lever 119 is .bifurcatedto receive a swivel block 120 through which exs tends the upper end portion of a rod 121. Said rod is provided above and'belov.y said block with fixed collars 122 and 123, a spring 124'being interposed between 'the block and the upper collar 122.

The lower end of rod 121 is connected, to a lever'125 fastupon a shaft 126 journalled inthe machine frame. Fast upon saidshaft is a cam 127 which is adapted, when the shaft is given rotary movement. to yengage a pawl 130 and move it upwardly into engagement with the teeth 1310i a disk'132 secured -toaiid rotating withthe crank arin 33.,` A stop-125 adapted to engage the shoulders 126" of the iet lever 125 limits the movement of this lever, as clearly indicated in Fig. 8. Said pawl is pivotally mounted at 130, intermediate its ends, upon the upper end of a lever 134, which in turn is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the frame stud 135. livotallg,7 connected to the lower end of lever 134 is a link 136, the lower end of which is connected to the knuckle pin 137 of the links 138 and 139. The other end of link 138 is pivotally mounted on a pin 140 carried by the machine-base while the other end of link 139 is connected to the knuckle pin17 of toggle members 16 and 18 which constitute the emergency toggle. The emergency toggle formed by members 16 and 18 is broken by the guard mechanism in the 'following manner.

In the normal position of the parts with the press open, as shown in Fig. 6, the weight or' the guard, applied tothe pawl 117 through the link rod 111 and its headed end, holds the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 118. When the downward travel ofthe guard is interrupted, say by'said guard striking the operators hands or arms. the tooth 117 of the bell-crank lever 1.12 is moved to engage the teeth 118 of lever 119, and turns said lever 119 about its pivot in a` clockwise direction, 1, so as to impart rotary movement to the cam shaft 126. Cam 127 thereupon moves the pawl 130 into engagement with the teeth 131 of disk 132 and the clockwise movement of this disk moves the pawl reawardly, turns lever 134 about its pivot and through links 136 and 139 breaks the emergency toggle. The head is, therefore, prevented from coming into engagement with the bed and injury to the operator is prevented.

The means for straightening the emergency toggle after it has been broken comprises a finger 145 adjustably secured to the web 146 of the lower main toggle member 16. Let us assume that the press has completed the closing cycle and that the emergency toggle is broken. By pushing in the knob carrying rod 49, the motor is started. Crank arm 33 in completing the opening cycle pulls forward the upper end of the lower main toggle member 16, causing finger 145 to engage link 139. Said finger now acts as afulcrum and the portion of toggle member 16 above said finger forces the emergency toggle to straightened position.

In order to prevent the pressing of work improperly arranged on the bed, suitable means is provided for breaking the emergency toggle when the work on the bed exceeds a predetermined maximum thickness. Said means comprises a collar 150 fast on the inner end portion of plunger 32 and provided with a pair of depending ears 151 in which a pin 152 is non-rotatably mounted. A lever 153 has one of its ends pivotally mounted on said pin and its other end connected by pin 154 to a pair of links 155. The upper ends of these links 155 are pivotally mounted upon the studs 156 of the collar 157, which is adjustable on the tubular casing 31 by the screw 158, said collar being secured in any adjusted position by the set screw 159. Lever 153, is provided at its rear end with a depending toe 16() adapted, when an obstruction is engaged on the bed, such as work improperly arranged, to engage a plate 161 adjustably secured to the rear end of pawl 130. Said pawl will thus be moved by said depending toe into engagement with the disk teeth 131 and the emergency toggle broken, as before described. The only pressure exerted upon the work or other object on the bed is that which is sufficient to compress spring 37 in tubular member 31, which is light and insuiicient to damage the work or injure the operators hands. By adjusting the distance between the pivot points 152 and 156, the mechanism can be set so as to cause the breaking of' the emergency toggle by any desired thickness of material on the bed. This feature is particularly useful when pressing garments of a more or less uniform thickness, so that if the arrangggcment or lay of the work is disturbed, causing bundling of the work, the emergency toggle will be broken before the work is improperly pressed. An additional safety feature is also provided by the mechanism just now described, for if the safety guard fails to 'function and the operators hands are resting upon the bed or the work, his hands will cause the lever toe 160 to engage the pawl plate member 161 and effect the breaking of the emergency togglev and the immediate raising of the upper pressing member so that his hands may be withdrawn and injury thereto avoided.

Means is also provided for manually breaking the emergency toggle, said means in the embodiment here shown comprising a cam 165 adapted to engage a roller 166 loosely mounted upon one end of the pawl pivot pin 130"1 of the lever 134. Connected to said cam is a link 167 to which is connected the lower end of a vertically disposed rod 168, the upper end of' which is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 169 pivoted on the frame stud 170. Connected to the other arm of said bell-crank lever is a horizontally disposed rod 171 slidably mounted in the bracket 172 depending from the work table 61. This rod 171 carries at itsforward' end a knob 173 between which and the bracket 172 a spring 174 is interposed, the tendency of said spring being to normally keep the vertically disposed rod 168 in raised position and the cam 165 out of interfering relation with'the pawl roller 166. By pushing in the knob carrying rod 171 the cam 165 is brought into engagement with lever roller 166, and the upper end of lever 134 moved rearwardly by said cam, the

movement of lever 134 effecting the breaking of the emergency toggle in the manner before described. Then the head is in raised position, the breaking of the emergency toggle is prevented bythe finger 145 of the lower main toggle member 16.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a power operated pressing machine in which the closing movement of the press may be arrested and opening movement effected by three separate and distinct means, two of which are automatic and power controlled. First there is the safety nger guard means; second, the means sensitive to the thickness of the object or work on the bed; and third, manual means for operation by the operator. While the machine is capable of extremely. great production, the operator is amply pro-k tected against injury.

Ihat I claim is 1. A pressing ma'chine, comprising relatively movable pressing members, main toggle members for producing pressure between them, power means, actuating mechanism operatively connecting the power means to said `toggle members, an emergency member connected to said main toggle members and movable into operative and safety inoperative positions, and power operated means forL actuating said emergency member including 'a controlling part operatively associated with a part actuated by said power means.

2. A pressing machine of the kind defined in claim 1 including control means for said emergency member actuating means responsive to the thickness of an article between the pressing members.

3. A pressing machine of the kind defined in 'claim 1, including control means for said emergency member actuating means, said control means comprising a manually operable member on the machine frame.

4. A pressing machine of the kind defined in claim 1, including safety guard means located at the entrance tothe pressing space and connected to said emergency member actuating means forcontrolling-the same.

5. A garment press, comprising relatively movable pressing members, toggle members for actuating the same, a power source, and 'connections therefrom to the toggle members for operating the same, an emergency pressure releasingv member cooperating with said toggle members, and means for actuating said pressure releasing member, including a part in the connections from said power source to the toggle members.

6. A garment'press of the kind ldefined in claim 5 provided with controlling means Y for said actuatingmeans including guard means located at the entrance to the pressing space.

8. A pressing machine of the kind defined in claim 5, provided with controlling means forsaid actuating means including a manually operable member on the machine frame.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my, 

